Consistency to be rewarded for Hauraki in G1 Epsom

If ever a horse deserved to win a G1 race it is Godolphin’s ultra-consistent galloper Hauraki.

A four-time winner up to G2 level, Hauraki (John O’Shea/James McDonald) has chased home some of the best horses in training, running four seconds in G1 races and being placed a further five times at Stakes level.

The son of Reset now has the opportunity to claim that vital top-level victory when he runs in the G1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday, October 2.

“He has the ability to win a Group One race, he’s just run into slightly better horses a few times,” said his trainer John O’Shea.

Hauraki’s G1 second placings include the ATC Derby of 2015 and, most recently, the George Main Stakes earlier this month when he had only the champion filly Winx ahead of him.

O’Shea has adopted a new approach with the five-year-old this preparation, keeping him to 1600m after he showed enough staying promise to run in the Derby as a three-year-old.

It is a tactic for which jockey James McDonald offered glowing endorsement after he chased Winx home at his latest start.

“It was a great run, he’s come back from 2000m to a mile this preparation and he’s loved it,” McDonald said.

Hauraki drew barrier 10 of 13 in the Epsom, but Godolphin Australia managing director Henry Plumptre said the wide gate shouldn’t prove too great an obstacle.

“If you’ve got the right horse at Randwick, a gate like that presents no problems,” Plumptre said.

“Especially the way Hauraki is going, he’s thrived during this preparation. John (O’Shea) clearly made the right decision to keep him to the shorter trips this time in.”

Hauraki is confronted by some talented opposition in a race in which victory would take his racetrack earnings to A$2 million.

The Victorian runner Palentino, the only horse in the race with an official rating higher than Hauraki, represents the main danger, along with others such as Sons Of John and Le Romain.

On a Randwick program which last year produced five Stakes winners for Godolphin,  Magic Hurricane goes for a repeat of his 2015 G1 Metropolitan Handicap win, along with his stablemate Allergic.

“He’s better suited under the handicap conditions here than he was at weight-for-age last start when he still ran well,” O’Shea said.

Magic Hurricane (John O’Shea/James McDonald) won the Metropolitan last year with 55.5kg and this time will carry two kilograms less, which appears to be a favourable handicap based on his overall record.

“Magic Hurricane has been overshadowed by his stablemate Hartnell lately, but he’s done nothing wrong. He did a terrific piece of work last week and has a fantastic chance of repeating last year’s win,” Plumptre said after drawing barrier three for the son of Hurricane Run.

Allergic (John O’Shea/Michael Dee) backs up in the Metropolitan seven days after winning a G3 race over 2400m at Rosehill, but Plumptre said the stable is not concerned by the short break.

“We have no hesitation running him on consecutive Saturdays, he came out of last weekend’s race so well,” he said.

“He’s a proven 2400 metre horse and he’s in form.”